Latest figures show that a total of 679 cases of TB were confirmed across Yorkshire and the Humber compared with 629 cases in 2010, which amounts to an 8% increase.

TB affects the lungs and is a leading cause of death among curable infectious diseases.

Regional Director of the Health Protection Agency for Yorkshire and the Humber Dr Stephen Morton said: “Elimination of TB should be our goal.

“With community determination and coordination of efforts across the health service, local authorities, other statutory agencies, voluntary sector and communities, this can be achieved.”

The TB lead for the Health Protection Agency in Yorkshire and the Humber Dr Ebere Okereke said: “TB is both preventable and curable, but prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent serious ill health and to limit spread of the disease in the community.

“Tuberculosis continues to disproportionately affect those in vulnerable groups which are particularly hard to reach for health services.

“6% of TB cases confirmed in our region in 2011 were known to be people who have a history of problem drug use, alcohol misuse, homelessness or imprisonment.

“This is of particular concern, because TB can be more challenging to treat in these groups and they are also less likely to complete full treatment.”

A full course of TB treatment takes around six months to complete and is essential to preventing the development of drug resistant strains of TB.

The organisation is working with the NHS, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, charities and other partners in Yorkshire and the Humber to raise awareness of the disease.

The pulmonary form of the disease is infectious and is spread from person to person when someone coughs or sneezes, or when someone has prolonged contact with someone with active lung TB.

Symptoms of TM include:

Fever

Night sweats

A persistent cough

Weight loss

Blood in your sputum or phlegm

Lack of appetite

Fatigue

If you are concerned that you might have TB, visit your doctor for advice.

Experts have found traces of TB in skeletons dating back 4,000 years and it was present in many Egyptian mummies.

It hit a peak in the late 19th and early 20th century and many millions of people were sent to sanatoria.

Huddersfield had a sanatorium at Bradley and another at Meltham, but many of the patients died of the illness.